


Even the Wilted Sakura Bloom

by starlightsongs



Category: BanG Dream! Girl's Band Party! (Video Game)
Genre: ....or at least i hope it's funny, Angst, F/F, Fluffy Ending, Humor, Just slightly, Out of Character, T rating mostly just for language!, arisa's got HELLA anxiety and is a major introvert, brief mention of kasusaaya, credits go to bandori wikia for event transcript, misaki's a bit more flirty than in canon, there's a lot of direct quoting hhh
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-12-28
Updated: 2019-02-13
Packaged: 2019-09-29 10:53:55
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 4
Words: 10,097
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/17202155
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/starlightsongs/pseuds/starlightsongs
Summary: Sakura Bloom Event where everything’s the same, except that the social chaos isn’t the only thing contributing to Arisa’s pounding headache.





	1. Chapter 1

It had all started on a warm-weathered spring day, the air filled with floating pink petals coming from the newly bloomed trees. After viewing the miraculous sight, the five members of Poppin’ Party had decided to take their time on going home together. Walking home with friends was a new tradition to the once-loner that was Arisa, and was rather peaceful at that. Though she didn’t admit it often, she loved spending time with her band. It felt like such a relief to slowly become more open with a group of friends who accepted her as she was, and didn’t want nor expect her to change. It was always so exhausting, keeping her thoughts to herself out of fear of disrupting the peace amongst crowds of people, but they never once shamed her for it. She was thankful, and one day she swore she’d be able to tell them that outright. 

“I always think of us when I see sakura…it’s like we’re five petals of the flower nestled next to each other. You know, since the five of us are all working hard at one thing together,” Rimi stated as she pointed to a blooming tree. Arisa smiled to herself, for the girl had a heart of pure gold. Rimi was known for her genuine kindness and caring nature: something that Arisa didn’t see as much of in herself, and found particularly charming in her friend.

“That’s so nice! It’s kind of romantic too~” Her best friend, Kasumi, chimed, her voice sing-songing along the way. She turned her head towards Saaya, who offered a small smile in exchange before chuckling. Arisa rolled her eyes, a grin plastered on her face.

“You see romance in just about everything, Kasumi,” Arisa smirked, noting the way her best friend continued to glance over at Saaya. Girl-crazy Kasumi had asked out their bandmate last week. Saaya, who had accepted, was a bit shyer about the manner and had asked Kasumi not to make such a big deal out of it. However, Kasumi was Kasumi, and made many attempts to connect group conversation to their newly formed relationship whenever the opportunity called for it. Arisa could’ve sworn the whole school knew they were dating by now.

“Wait, are they dating?” Tae whispered to Arisa, her tone soft and lacking the expected sarcasm. Arisa, surprised by the girl’s genuine ignorance, turned to her, frustrated.

“Tae.”

“...What?”

“Yes, they’re dating. They have been since last week. Have you been living under a rock or something???”

“Oh! Good for them. And no, I live in a house! With my parents and my rabbits!”

Arisa smacked her forehead. She should’ve known better of course. Tae was terrible with idioms! As much as she loved her friends, why were they so… _annoying_ sometimes?

“Arisa, why do you look so upset? Are you sad that you don’t have a girlfriend?” Tae asked, her eyes expressing concern. Arisa immediately shot her a glance, her eyes begging the taller girl to quit talking. She instantly felt her face become hot. Tae _knew_ she hated talking about this subject, but could never quite pick up on the cue, and thus continued to persist.

“I’m fine, Tae. I’m just tired,” Arisa retorted, not particularly lacking the energy to scold her, but not in the mood to waste it either. Tae muttered a soft “that’s too bad, isn’t it” to herself before shrugging and resuming her daydreaming.

There was a part of Arisa that really wanted to know what exactly it was Tae was always daydreaming about and how she got away with saying the things she uttered on a daily basis. But for her own good, she decided on the fact that it was better this way: no one being able to read anyone’s minds so that they could enjoy their innermost thoughts in peaceful solitude.

“Hm?” Kasumi questioned aloud, stopping in her tracks. Arisa had wondered if she had noticed the disgruntled nature in her voice and would ask her about it. Though she would never tell them outright, she enjoyed it when the other members of PoPiPa would check in with her to see if she was feeling alright. Saaya was normally the most attune to it, though she had been pretty distracted with holding Kasumi’s hand for the time being. Arisa was about to chime in before she looked up and saw what _really_ made Kasumi stop in her tracks.

A girl with white hair around their age appeared to be…swinging a wooden sword?

Arisa stepped back, aghast at the situation. Surely she was some sort of weirdo with no sense of personal space, and should be avoided at all costs, right?

… _RIGHT?_

“Guys, what’s that girl doing?” Kasumi questioned, tilting her head to the side. The others murmured “I don’t know”s, also tilting their heads as to get a better look at the scene.

Typical Kasumi! The curiosity always got the best of her!

 _UGH_!

Arisa wondered if the brunette had _any_ amount of common sense in her.

Arisa tried to argue, warning her not to make eye contact and to stay away, but it had been too late. Kasumi was already intrigued, mentioning that the girl in the distance looked like a classmate and scurried off. Saaya rolled her eyes, chuckled, and proceeded to follow. After Rimi and Tae followed shortly after, Arisa stomped her foot, left with no option but to storm after her idiot friends. The girl, whose name was apparently Eve, stopped in her tracks and immediately greeted the others. She tilted her head, and noticed Arisa, who was now huddled behind her bandmates, to greet her as well. Arisa smiled politely in response, even though her mind was in a state of utter panic.

 _What do I do? I thought it was a crazy person, but it was someone I know! We’re in different classes and haven’t really spoken before, though…Th-this is awkward_.

The blonde girl began to twiddle her thumbs, silently cursing Kasumi. Social interactions outside of Poppin’ Party did not come as easily to her as they did to the rest of the group, and Arisa was particularly weary of this newcomer. After all, she had just been swinging her sword like a madwoman two minutes ago, no?

“What were you just doing, Eve-chan? It looked like you were swinging a sword at that tree,” Kasumi noted.

 “I was training to be a warrior!” Eve called out in response, looking delighted. Kasumi’s and Tae’s eyes widened, their mouths forming into wide grins in amusement. Rimi and Saaya, however, had taken a step back, a little startled by the girl’s interest.

“Huh?! Training to be a warrior?” Arisa thought to herself.

…Or so she thought.

The others turn to look at her, indicating that her thoughts were actually yelled aloud.

_Crap._

“Is that so?” She asked again, crafting her voice into a more standard, politer fashion. She internally cursed at herself, knowing that she couldn’t afford to let this newcomer see through her. Should she act out, she could be subject to an attack by a warrior in training! The thought frightened her to no end.

The newcomer appeared to be explaining her reasoning for swinging the sword, though her words fell deaf on Arisa’s ears. The worried girl had now been stuck in a state of panic, overthinking her word choices and trying to figure out how she’d wiggle her way out of this situation. She nudged Kasumi gently, as to let her know that she was thinking of returning home now, but her close friend was fully distracted. She tried again with Tae, who was, of course, utterly oblivious. By the time she had reached Rimi and Saaya, the two had both gotten involved in the conversation. They seemed to be warning Eve against swinging her sword again, though again, Arisa couldn’t catch the specifics.

_You need to go home! There’s no way that this girl is good news. Even if she did turn out to be nice, it’s not like you need to be there for it anyway. You’re boring, and insignificant to the conversation. You’re not needed here._

Arisa screamed inside her head for the thoughts to stop. It was way too awkward to suddenly leave the situation now - she just had to put up with it for a little bit longer. Then she’d be able to go home with her friends in peace.

Poppin’ Party and Eve seemed to share a few laughs, indicating the end of their conversation. They started to wish each other the best of luck in their journeys, and expressed body language indicative of heading out.

 _Thank god_.

Kasumi was about to turn on her heel and head in the opposite direction, until she stopped yet again.

Arisa sighed to herself again. What _now_?

“Isn’t that Kokoron and Hagu running around over there?”

_Oh no._

Arisa, knowing that she would not get her alone time quite yet, braced herself for the absolute worst. She watched again as Kasumi dashed over, followed by Saaya, Rimi, Eve, and Tae. Arisa decided to run over as well – anything to make the conversation end quicker.

As the group slowed down to a halt, Arisa lagged behind, allowing some space between her and the group to catch her breath. She stared down at the grass, focusing on the carnation pink petals that floated downwards. The serenity of imagery seemed to calm her a bit, distracting her from her anxiety.

Though, of course, two voices shook her right out of her trance.

“Phew…that was some good exercise! I didn’t know sakura parties could be so exciting!”

“Kokoron, the party isn’t over yet! You’re one point ahead of me, but I’m gonna make a comeback!”

Arisa shuddered. Those two could only be one thing.

_Extroverts._

Dealing with Kasumi was one thing, but these two sounded as if they radiated a social energy that Arisa was more than incapable of handling. Arisa was far enough away to hear only snippets of their conversation – something along the lines of winning and losing the party? How was that even possible?

Why was it that everyone who attended their school were _weirdos_?

“Ugh…Sakura parties don’t have winners or losers!” A third voice called out, causing Arisa to look up from her pointed gaze towards the ground and into the distance. For she had been wrong, and there were actually three newcomers from the crowd.

Could it be that someone else actually has common sense?

Arisa quietly made her way over, recognizing her distance from the rest of the pack, and working to catch up. Tae had turned around, formed a smile upon her lips and mouthed “over here, Arisa!”, as if Arisa were merely a lost child separated from her family. The blonde pouted, rolling her eyes in response to the tall girl’s antics. Once Arisa had arrived, she was able to better get a sense of the situation.

Kasumi had been yakking it up with Eve and the owners of the two loud voices she had heard earlier. Their chatter was loud, causing Arisa to think about their decency and respect to other members of the park. She would’ve called them out on it, if she weren’t so hyperfocused on something else.

Arisa had to admit: she was a bit intrigued by the other scolding voice she had heard from the distance. The third girl seemed to be hiding herself amongst the extroverted two, Arisa only being able to catch the rim of her hat. Eventually, she stepped out upon request by the yellow-eyed girl.

… _Huh_?

The third girl’s face was…beautiful. Not in a way that was outright striking but there was a charm to it. Her facial expression was one of a, down-to-earth and self-assured nature, her muted nature contributing to her appeal. She stood firmly with her arms crossed, leaning against the side of a nearby tree, a nonchalant expression formed on her face. Arisa didn’t know what it was that made her unable to stop staring. Or why her heart began to beat quicker.

The nonchalant-standing girl in the distance turned her head slightly, for a split second, locking eyes with Arisa.

 _Oh no_.

Arisa quickly turned away, feeling her face grow hot.

Could this be…what she thought it was?

 _No, no way. This isn’t a crush. I’m probably just tired and overthinking this as always. I need to get home_.

Arisa tried to sneak her way past Saaya and next to Kasumi, though Saaya had stopped her in her tracks, whispering to her to ask if anything was wrong. Arisa mentioned to her that she wanted to go home. Saaya nodded and told her that it seemed like they’d all head out soon.

_Soon isn’t quick enough._

Arisa thanked her for her response, but continued to wrap around the other way, coming up closely next to the other side of Kasumi. She tapped her on the shoulder again, and this time Kasumi actually responded.

“A bit needy today, aren’t we Arisa?” She teased, a sneaky grin forming on her face. Arisa frowned, motioning for her to step aside for a bit. Saaya, as if on cue, came to her rescue and took on the conversation, mentioning something to the orange-haired girl about her croquette stand. Kasumi and Arisa stepped over to the side slightly so that they could talk in peace.

“Kasumi…I think we should go home. I’m not feeling that great,”

“Really? Is everything okay, Arisa?” Kasumi asked, as her eyes widened. Though the two teased each other a lot, they were best friends, and they made sure to support the other when one felt down. Arisa nodded, thanking her for her concern.

“I just don’t feel too comfortable around these newcomers. They’re weirdos…” Arisa muttered, causing Kasumi to frown.

“Hey! That’s not nice, Arisa. I mean, you’ve hardly even met them! Besides, it’d be nice to expand the friend circle!” Kasumi exclaimed. As if on cue, the others began to laugh in the distance, causing the two to redirect their attention.

“Say, I know Kokoro and Hagumi from band practice, but I don’t quite recall the dark-haired girl behind them…”  Kasumi started, her voice trailing off. Arisa gulped, hoping her friend wouldn’t notice her flushed expression regarding her new crush.

_Not a crush! It’s not a crush. Cut that out, you dummy._

“She reminds me of someone!” Kasumi exclaimed to herself.

 _Kasumi, don’t you dare_.

“You! She’s like you, Arisa!”

_Damn it!_

Arisa shook her head defiantly.

“I know what you’re thinking Kasumi, and I’m here to tell you ‘no’.”

“Oh _come_ _on_! You’d be a great match for each other!”

“Ugh. I already have _you guys_ as friends. Why do I need more?”

Kausmi narrowed her eyes, a smirk forming on her face. Arisa stepped away, recognizing that look immediately, knowing that it was one reserved for her scheming.

“Oh god, you’re giving me _that_ look.”

“I didn’t mean as _friends_ , Arisa.”

Arisa felt her eyes widen. _How?_ Kasumi was always oblivious to cues, so how on earth did she catch up on her newly-formed, well-hidden…uh…not-crush?

“Don’t worry, Arisa. I’ve got a great idea!” Kasumi exclaimed, her sneaky expression rapidly changing to one of her standard enjoyment. Kasumi immediately ran away and over to the others, leaving Arisa to herself. Fearing of what her chaotic and hyperactive friend would do next, she rushed after her.

“Hey everyone!” Kasumi called out.

_Oh no._

“Is everyone available next Sunday?”

_She’s planning something! I don’t like the sounds of this!_

The group all muttered amongst each other, scanning their phones to check if they had free dates.

 “I’m free on Sunday, but what exactly is happening?” The orange-haired girl referred to as “Hagumi” had asked.

“Let’s all have a sakura party together then, shall we?” Kasumi asked, turning to wink at her nearby, flustered friend. Arisa turned away, not wanting to show her now flushed face to the rest of the newcomers.

_Kasumi, you’re officially the worst!_

“That sounds like fun! Misaki and I will definitely be there!” The other loud voice shouted. Arisa didn’t have to look to assume that she had been referring to the pretty dark-haired girl she spotted earlier.

“Do I get a say in this…? Oh, well, I don’t actually mind…” Misaki responded, her tone changing from one of questioning to one of easy-going nature.

How on _earth_ did she do that? How was that girl able to keep her cool in all of this? Arisa would be lying to herself if she claimed that she didn’t feel at least a little bit jealous. She, too, wished that sometimes she’d just be able to calm down when she felt frustrated, rather than constantly having to hold back from letting loose on anyone other than her close friends and family.

“There are sakura trees in my garden! If you like, we can have the party at my house! Everyone’s welcome to come!” The same loud voice shouted again, and Arisa forced herself to turn around. Now that she was closer to her, she immediately recognized the face: Kokoro Tsurumaki, daughter of the super rich Tsurumaki family.

Arisa couldn’t help but wonder what her garden looked like.

The others’ comments seemed to reaffirm her curiosity. Hagumi described it as being “so amazing” that one would “fall over when they saw it.” Supposedly there were a lot of sakura trees too, and that sure would be the sight.

Kasumi turned to Arisa, this time being the one to nudge her slightly.

“What?”

“I’m really curious about Kokoron’s house that everyone says is so special! I think this will be a great sakura party. You’re coming, right?”

Arisa paused. In any other occasion, she would have flat-out told Kasumi “no.” Parties just weren’t her thing, and they were never going to be. That was just a fact.

However, she really was curious about seeing this girl’s “special” gardens, and had zero recollection of any houses that had so many trees. It’d truly be a sight to be there right in the middle of sakura season – perhaps she could take some pictures! Maybe the Tsurumakis had a bonsai collection too! And maybe, just maybe, she could work up the courage to talk to Misaki.

_Ugh._

Arisa sighed, noting Kasumi pulling her sneaky expression again. The brunette grinned as if she had checked off another tally next to her name in a game of “Kasumi vs. Arisa”.  Arisa didn’t know how she always managed to come up with plans that she willingly agreed to. In fact, if Kasumi hadn’t, Poppin’ Party might’ve not been in existence right now.

And besides, what was the worst that could happen?

“Sure, I’ll come to the party,” Arisa agreed, nodding and forcing a small smile.

Kasumi smiled back at her friend, before turning back to tell the others of her excitement. Arisa turned too to find Misaki looking in her direction. Arisa, not wanting to shift her gaze again, smiled in acknowledgement. The darker haired girl smiled back, her light blue eyes sparkling in the warm daylight.

 Arisa Ichigaya had really hoped that this decision wouldn’t be one she’d later regret.


	2. Chapter 2

Arisa Ichigaya desperately wanted to go home.

She knew she shouldn’t have said yes to Kasumi’s offer. For when she had agreed, she had agreed in a moment of bravery – a moment of not being able to think straight…both in which she couldn’t comprehend anything and also in that she was too gay for her own good.

And thus, here she was. But the butterflies that fluttered in her stomach that day had disappeared, replaced with a sinking feeling of discomfort and isolation. Everything felt so foreign, so distant, and she felt out of place amongst individuals that were too energetic and cheery for her to relate to. However, the last thing Arisa wanted to do was draw attention to herself. She’d just have to fake a smile and stick it out until the very end.

The day had only just begun, but it felt like it was dragging on _forever_. She felt like a babysitter to the others, watching as the childlike Kasumi, Kokoro, and Hagumi continued to yell out loud and run in circles, beaming with everlasting energy. Tae had kept herself preoccupied with looking at a nearby fountain while Rimi, Eve, and Saaya sat nearby, laughing together as they participated in their own conversation. Arisa thought about joining them, but knew she’d need the energy to keep her front up with Eve and decided against it.

Knowing that she couldn’t go home, Arisa decided that taking some time to herself would be the second best option.

Arisa walked off and sat herself down far away from the excitement, making herself comfortable below a particularly bountiful sakura tree. She started to take deep breaths in an effort to calm herself down. Focusing her attention on the eye-catching scenery also seemed to be of use.

" _I guess this isn’t so bad,”_ She thought to herself. She didn’t particularly mind being alone, though it was something Kasumi called her a “weirdo” for. Arisa knew there was nothing wrong with being introverted, and viewed her preferences as being helpful sometimes, in which she was perfectly happy in just chilling at home. She enjoyed having friends by her side, but she didn’t particularly _need_ them. She grew up mostly on her own, and she had grown to be okay with it.

Just like she would be okay without a girlfriend, much to Kasumi’s disagreement.

Arisa sighed, and turned her attention towards Misaki, who had seemed to be talking to Kokoro about something. From a distance the other girl appeared to be calm, but Arisa would notice that her face would scrunch up every now and then. Arisa chuckled to herself, wondering if she too, even if just for an instance, had been holding her true emotions back.

_Nah, I’m probably just self-projecting…just hoping that someone else is similar to me._

Not that she needed anyone to be.

She turned back towards the scenery again, hoping to focus again on the beauty of nature. However, she had found it much harder to think back to her breathing techniques this time.

She had wanted to come to the party for two reasons. One was to see the gardens, which she achieved successfully. But she also had wanted to talk to Misaki. Just to get to know her better and confirm that _no_ , she _didn’t_ have feelings for her, but was curious about who she was as a person. That was all there was to it. It had to be.

Yet, Arisa couldn’t move. She was frozen at the thought of having to approach someone first – it was something she only was just recently able to do with PoPiPa, and it still intimdated her when it came to others. Immediately, those feelings of homesickness returned. She shouldn’t be here - she didn’t _belong_ here. Everything was too loud, and everyone was too much.

“Hey,”

An unfamiliar voice startled her, interrupting her thoughts.

_Shit, I’ve been caught._

Arisa took in another deep breath as she turned her head to see who it was. She noticed Misaki standing above, waving in a friendly manner.

“Do you mind if I join you?”

Arisa _did_ mind. The last thing she wanted was a newcomer to see her at her worst. But to her surprise, she found herself shaking her head, saying that she could go ahead.

Misaki sighed as she plopped herself down, tilting her head to stare in the general direction where Arisa’s eyes had been fixated.

“Pretty garden, isn’t it?”

Arisa could only muster a meek “mm-hmm”, still in an effort to pull herself together. She kept her attention zeroed in on the garden, fearing that should she lose it, she’d become all flustered.

“I don’t know about you, but for me, being around the others can be pretty tiring sometimes…”

_She gets it._

Arisa stayed quiet, but felt her heart flutter ever so slightly at the words. A certain warmness rose within her – feelings of _comfort_. It had felt so refreshing to hear someone else verbalize her thoughts, even if she didn’t feel them with the same level of intensity. The similarity was there, and it made Arisa feel a little less lonely.

…Not that she was lonely or anything like that!

“Arisa, that’s your name, isn’t it?”

Arisa turned again at her name being mentioned to find that Misaki’s expression had faltered into one of concern.

“Is it just me or are you itching to say something?” The dark-haired girl asked, raising an eyebrow. Arisa scooted back, thrown off by the girl’s insight.

_How did she know?_

“N-no? Why do you think that?” She questioned, her voice softer than she normally presented it, still stunned by the question. The other girl laughed in response.

“Well, let’s just say that…I feel like you and me see this…in the same way,” Misaki responded, making circle motions with her hands around the others when referring to “this”. When Arisa was still unable to respond, she continued the sentiment.

“I mean… I’m pretty used to it by now but…I can understand why you want to call it out. These bunch can be tiring in their energy and nonsensical words. It’s perfectly understandable why you’d feel frustrated by them,”

_Is it really?_

Arisa stared at the other girl, surprised by her spiel. As great as PoPiPa was at comforting her, never once did they understand _why_ she felt the way she did. It wasn’t often that her emotions were validated or seen as something logical to feel. Yeah, Kasumi and the others got a real kick out of her outbursts and loved her for them regardless, but they just didn’t _get_ them. This girl…somehow Arisa got the sense that she would.

But she wasn’t going to test that hunch. Not here, not now. She had a composure to maintain.

“Huh? W-what do you mean? I wouldn’t dream of doing that…oho, ohohoho…” The blonde responded, her nervous laughter completing her utterance. She silently cursed at herself for letting it go through.

“If you say so,” Misaki shrugged, though still continued to stay by Arisa. Arisa sighed, feeling guilty on behalf of her presence. Perhaps Misaki just pitied her. Perhaps she saw her as being lonely and thus decided to join her.

“Listen, you don’t have to stay by me. I’m fine over here, really! I know you want to enjoy the party with the others…” Arisa muttered, crossing her arms and shifting her face away. Misaki made a “hmm?” questioning noise in response.

“I don’t mind talking to you! Really, I mean it. I think we could get along, and I’d like to get to know you better.”

 _No you don’t_.

Arisa _knew_ those words were empty. If Misaki knew who she truly was, she probably wouldn’t be so willing to talk to her anymore.

“But, if you insist that I go…” The dark-haired girl trailed off, her tone of voice shifting into one that entailed a teasing, more playful nature. Arisa turned to face her again.

“…then I will. I’ll join the others, but I think it’d be a lot more fun with you there,” Misaki concluded. A small smile formed on her face as she rose from her position to jog towards where the others had gathered. Arisa couldn’t understand why, but something about how she delivered that statement made it believable. Besides, the longer she stayed where she was, the more others would notice and draw attention to her. Reluctantly, she sighed, and began walking over towards the main scene as well.

Kasumi waved to both Arisa and Misaki as they showed up to the scene. Kasumi stared at Arisa, her eyes seeming to question if anything happened between them. Arisa narrowed her gaze in response as if to say “Of course not, you idiot.”

“Oh! Hey, Misaki! We were just talking about the band!” Kokoro shouted while Hagumi nodded excitedly.

“I play the guitar for Poppin’ Party, while Arisa over there plays the keyboard. Say, what’s your role?” Tae asked, and suddenly everyone’s attention was on both of them. Arisa was internally rolling her eyes. She could’ve introduced herself just fine - Tae didn’t have to do it for her!

“Uh…my situation is rather complicated, so I think I’ll steer away from the band topic. Everything else about me is extremely normal,” Misaki stated as she scratched the back of her head.

 _Complicated_?

The phrase made Arisa think to herself. For her, there was nothing complicated about being in a band – you just pick up an instrument and go with it, no? In fact, the band was one of the least complicated things to Arisa, and one of the only things she felt like she could understand.

This girl…there was definitely something more to her than Arisa had imagined.

"Okay, all we have left is Eve and Arisa! Could you go first, Eve-chan?” Kasumi asked, redirecting the focus to Eve, who smiled in response.

“Sure! Um…I came to Japan just recently, and I’ve always wanted to have a sakura party like this!”

Arisa felt herself wanting to laugh at the poor girl’s statement. Parties like this certainly weren’t the norm in Japan.

“This sakura party is quite unique, mind you,” Misaki followed up. “It’s probably not a good idea to think this is the standard in Japan.”

Arisa felt her head spin. She swore it felt like the other girl was reading her mind.

_If you’re reading my mind, then…stop that! I don’t have a crush on you or anything! Laugh if you can hear this!_

The dark-haired girl didn’t even crack a smile.

 _Success_.

“…Don’t you agree, Ichigaya-san?”

 _…Or not. She’s definitely a mind reader_. _PLEASE kill me now!_

“H-Huh? Ah…ahaha, I suppose it’s not often we get to enjoy a sakura party in such a nice big garden~! I-it’s so lovely here!” Arisa recovered, startled by the sudden call to attention.

The conversation seemed to shift into something along the lines of “bushido.” Arisa tried to follow, but found that it was too philosophical for her to easily keep up with. Still, it gave something to distract her from what felt like Misaki’s intrusive curiosity. She was still convinced that girl was a mind-reader, and forced herself to try and not think about her for the time being.

It wasn’t that easy.

“Okay, the only person left is…Arisa! Lucky last!” Kasumi exclaimed. She outstretched her arms over towards Arisa, as if presenting her like an award, a huge grin forming on her face. Arisa, caught off guard once again, stuttered in her response.

“You’ve been kinda quiet today, are you unwell?” Kasumi asked, tilting her head.

 _Don’t play dumb, I know you know why I’m acting the way I am_.

Still, Arisa could detect genuine concern from her friend. She sighed.

“I’m fine,” she stated, maintaining her eye contact with the brunette.

“You do look kinda pale…not to mention tired…” Saaya noted. Arisa, who was normally thankful for Saaya’s intuitive nature, found herself irritated by her input.

“I-I’m okay. Really,” She stammered, though was no longer sure if she was reassuring the others or herself.

“Really? That’s such a relief! Okay, it’s your turn to say something!” Kasumi exclaimed, emphasizing that it was her turn to speak up and that she had no way out of it. Arisa immediately felt the pressure of everyone’s eyes on her and wanted nothing more but to be anywhere else.

“Uh…besides playing in the band, I like to do bonsai…that’s all,” She stated. She hoped that in making her statement simple, it’d redirect the focus.

“Really?! You’re into bonsai?! That’s amazing! I’ve always been interested in trying it!” Eve exclaimed.

 _So much for that_.

“You’re so lovely, Arisa-san! I think bonsai is a wonderful hobby!”

_Lovely? We're not friends. You don't know anything about me. How can you say that?_

Arisa did enjoy the fact that someone else shared her passion for bonsai, though.

Kokoro and Eve proceeded to go into a conversation about how they had a 400-year old tree in their backyard. Intrigued, Arisa listened in, wondering if they’d be able to go see it.

“I remember now! I felt sorry for it being stuck in such a tiny pot, so I replanted it somewhere over there!” Kokoro exclaimed.

_Are you an idiot?  
_ _You took it OUT of its pot?  
_ _Every reasonably intelligent person knows that doing that will kill it!_ _  
_ **_Seriously?_  
**

_Are you **THAT**  dumb or are you a plant killer? Which is it?_

Arisa nearly felt her stomach drop, and without thinking, couldn’t help but interrupt.

“Wha…? If you do that it’ll-”

Arisa felt the heat of judging eyes on her again, and caught herself. She shortly after heard Misaki chuckling to herself.

_This isn’t funny! None of this is! I don’t care how pretty you are- you don’t get to laugh like that!_

Arisa’s head began to pound. It was so tiring keeping her inner thoughts to herself like this, and she didn’t know how much longer she was going to last. The party had been going on for nearly an hour now, and she could physically feel her patience running thin. She overheard Kasumi ask Misaki why she was laughing, to which the other had responded “Ichigaya-san is so…reserved”, turning to look directly at her.

_Are you dissing me? Why are you staring at me like that?_

“Arisa? No way, she’s usually a lot more interesting than this! She’s actually _really_ sarcastic too. Isn’t that right, Arisa?” Kasumi exclaimed, winking at Arisa again. Arisa’s eyes widened as she shook her head defiantly.

_What a friend you are, exposing me like this! Do you see this crowd? Do you really think they’re gonna like that side of me?_

Arisa refused for her existence to be simplified to a piece of entertainment for everyone to gawk at.

“Sarcastic, huh?” Misaki questioned. Arisa narrowed her eyes at her, refusing to respond. Misaki merely shrugged.

“I’m not judging, just was gonna say that I enjoy some sarcasm myself. But if it’s not your thing, then it can’t be helped, I suppose…”

Okay. This girl was _really_ getting on her nerves.  
When would it be time to go home?

Time seemed to take forever to pass, as the other girls seemed to talk on for what felt like hours. Arisa found herself once again getting lost in the conversation as they talked about smiles and stickers and different locations. Arisa heard her name come up a few times in conversation, but decided it’d be best to just deflect it with a shrug. Every now and then, when her response was required, she’d respond with something along the lines of “Oh, nothing special”. Kasumi had at some point mentioned her school grades to which she asked her not to make a big deal out of it.

Finally, the conversation ended and everyone began to dig into the food basket.

“ _At least food can’t talk_ …” Arisa thought to herself, as she proceeded to pick up a rice ball.


	3. Chapter 3

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hello!!  
> Just wanted to thank all of you who have been waiting for an update for your patience! I've actually decided to split up my thoughts into 2 more chapters, as over time my ideas have expanded and I'm not 100% confident in my ending. However, I hope you enjoy this next one- it's a bit of a shift in tone so brace yourself for the angst :') thanks again for reading!!

“I’m sorry, Kokoro. We’d love to stay too, but we’ve got school tomorrow, so we need to get going.”

Arisa let out a sigh of relief. _Finally,_ this disaster of a party was nearing an end!

Just a few minutes longer…

Arisa zoned out while the others discussed when they’d meet up again. She didn’t have the energy to interject when they suggested they have another sakura party next month, you know, when there was no more sakura to see.

“…I know everyone wants to stay, but…shall we get going?” Rimi piped.

_Yes! We’re finally leaving!_

“If you want to stay, then we should just keep going! Sakura party, round two!” Kokoro chimed. Arisa practically felt steam coming out of her ears. Did the girl not know when enough was _enough_?

“Okay!” Kasumi agreed.

_Hey, friend? You’re not helping here! At all!_

“Why don’t we do this instead?”

_Here we go! That tone she uses when she has an idea! I’ve got another super bad feeling about this!_

“Why don’t we have another party somewhere else?”

_Kasumi, I TRUSTED you_.

Arisa bit her tongue as the others talked about where to go next. No way in hell was she getting dragged into a Part Two of this madness! She just wanted to go home, was that _really_ so bad?

“Hey, Kasumi. Didn't you mention something about Arisa’s basement?” Hagumi asked. Arisa’s eyes widened, not remembering. What was Kasumi _doing?_ Had Arisa not been there for that conversation?

Was her close friend, someone she _trusted_ , talking about her behind her back?

“Oh, yeah! It’s like _totally_ soundproof. We should go to Arisa’s house!” Kasumi exclaimed.

Okay, Arisa was used to Kasumi inviting herself over. But for her to invite everyone? Oh _hell_ no!

There was no way this was gonna fly by, right? Someone had to interject…

_…Right?_

“I’m in!” Eve chimed.

Arisa gulped.

_Tae? Rimi? Saaya? A little help here…?_

“Yeah, great idea! Me too!” Kokoro added.

Arisa shut her eyes. Who was she kidding? There was only one other person sane enough at this party to call it out.

_…Misaki?_

However, the dark-haired girl remained silent.

Arisa felt her heart race. There was no way this was actually happening, right? They can’t just invite themselves over to her home like this!

… _Right?_

“That’s a great idea! When should we go?” Hagumi added, and Arisa immediately knew she was doomed.

_Oh, that was_ **_IT_ ** _._

How dare these classmates who she hardly knew invite themselves over like that! Her _one safe space_ . _AWAY_ from everyone. And they just want to invade it?

Arisa could feel her skin crawling. And how _dare_ the others stayed silent! This felt like true betrayal within itself…couldn’t her friends at least see that she was uncomfortable?

_Ugh, I can’t take this anymore!!!_

“Hey, Kasumi? Why the _hell_ did you talk about me behind my back like that? And you all – how _dare_ you make plans in my house without even asking me? Like, hello? Who even _does_ that? Plus, what on earth does my basement have to do with sakura? Nothing, there is no relation whatsoever! Somebody – please say _something_ about this stupid idea! It doesn’t even make sense, argh!”

_…Oh no._

The scene instantly fell silent as the others didn’t know how to respond.

_Shit._

**_S H I T_ **.

“…Oops,” she muttered to herself, instantly feeling a pang of regret. Perhaps she had taken it too far…after all, the others didn’t really know her yet. They weren’t the most intelligent, and perhaps didn’t see anything wrong in inviting themselves over.

_I did it. I ruined the mood. I ruined the whole damn party._

She immediately scanned the setting, afraid that she might’ve gone too far and scared someone off.

_Oh but who am I kidding? Whose reactions do I care about? Kokoro’s? Eve’s? Hagumi’s?  Would I have ever been friends with them anyways?_

Thought, as much as she hated to admit it, she was hoping she hadn’t completely ruined her chances with Misaki.

Arisa slowly took a step back as she observed the faces of everyone nearby her. Saaya and Rimi shared a sheepish expression, while Tae seemed to be nonchalant, probably daydreaming as usual. Kokoro, Hagumi, and Eve looked… kind of offended, but Arisa expected that. She then set her sights on Kasumi, who stood across from her with a mischievous expression on her face.

_No way am I going to give Kasumi the satisfaction, especially after what she did! I have to compose myself together…STAT!_

“I mean…I would prefer if we _didn’t_ have the party at my place,” Arisa coughed, changing her tone pitch higher and her voice softer. She nervously turned to face Misaki, who seemed to be smirking.

“Ahh but good old Arisa, it’s a bit late to put on that disguise now, isn’t it?~” Kasumi taunted from across, her sing-songy tone floating as she delivered the words.

“Ichigaya-san…just give into the dark side…” Misaki joined in, mimicking the same tone.

Ugh! She _hated_ how easily they both saw right through her.

She scanned the room again, realizing now that it was too late to try and keep everything bottled up again.

_To hell with it! There’s no point in hiding anything anymore!_

“Actually, you know what? A lot of things have bothered me today! First of all, Kasumi. That sakura cheer! Why the hell did you jump on board like that?! You’re not a lemming!”  
“And then there’s the people in the black suits. I’m surprised you just accepted the whole thing in the blink of an eye! You didn’t even think it was just a little bit strange?! You have no idea how hard I worked to stay quiet!”  
“And I’m just getting started!”

Words flew out of Arisa’s mouth faster than than any of the others could’ve yelled “Sakura Party”. All of the others were now listening intently, some fascinated by her outbursts while others seemed to be afraid. PoPiPa, was used to this by now, didn’t seem to share much of an expression one way or another.

“I guess that means the sakura were so great that even Arisa-san had to show her true self!” Eve chimed in after consulting with Rimi.

_No! That’s not it at all! This has_ **_n o t h i n g_ ** _to do with the sakura!_

“Argh, now you’re pushing it! I can’t take this anymore!” Arisa yelled, stomping her foot.

She was about to continue on her rant before she realized that there was no use. She’d just continue to keep drawing attention to herself, and it’s not like any of her words would resonate with anyone.

…Except for one person.

But, it didn’t matter. That one person? She probably thought this was funny. Just by the looks of her face – she was _just like_ Kasumi! Kasumi was her best friend, of course she’d tease her like that – she had a free pass. Misaki, however, had no right!

_Am I nothing a but a joke to you?_

Arisa didn’t want to know the answer to that. She just wanted to leave.

She paused, inhaling as she calmed down to make her final statement.

“Listen, I’m going home. This is too much to handle,” She stated as she headed towards the gates. She heard Kasumi and the rest of PoPiPa calling after her, but it didn’t matter. They couldn’t do anything for her right now that would make her feel better.

Stifling tears, she tried not to listen to the negative thoughts that filled her head.

_Good job there! You really let it all out on everyone like that! I’m sure they hate you now_.

Why did it matter? She didn’t want to be friends with Kokoro, Hagumi, or Eve anyways. They were all too much for her and exhausted her to no end.

She was so _angry_ at herself. The fact that she’d thought she could actually enjoy herself and maybe even get along with these people was laughable. She just wasn’t a party person and was never going to be, and she’d just have to accept that!

She was simply an outcast. A loner who didn’t deserve more friends, and she should just be grateful for those she did have.

She didn’t deserve a girlfriend.

And she’d just have to accept that too.

She was going home, where she felt safe and wouldn’t have to deal with anyone again. Perhaps in the future, beyond the chaos that was high school, she could leave peacefully as a hermit, surrounded by a garden of bonsai. She felt her headspace lighten, imagining herself in an empty field, far away from people. In this fantasy, she cared for her plants as she sat under a blooming sakura tree. She carefully touched one of the bonsai’s leaves, noting its near perfect bloom.

_Alone. Yeah. It’s better this way._

Suddenly, the image changed. In her mind, the leaf that Arisa had so gracefully touched now appeared to be wilting. The blue sky shifted into a shade of dark grey, as downpour hurdled down onto her and her plant. Not even the overarching tree could protect her and her nature born companion from the storm. The plant’s leaves became were weighed down by the heavy downpour, causing Arisa to panic, as too much rain would not benefit the plant. In her mind, Arisa screamed out for help, cursing at herself for forgetting her raincoat and umbrella.

But in that distorted fantasy, no one else was around.

“…Arisa?”

The voice immediately disrupted the mental image, causing Arisa to pull back to reality. She looked again at the road, realizing she hadn’t moved very far from Kokoro’s house at all.

“Arisa? Is everything okay?”

Now in full consciousness, she could understand the voice more clearly. Without shifting her stance or gaze, she knew immediately who it belonged to.


	4. Chapter 4

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Okay, so, I finally mustered up the courage to stop obsessing over the ending and just put it up. To be absolutely honest, I'm still not sure if I like it, but at the same time I can't really see this story ending in any other way...  
> I'm really thankful for the feedback received so far, and thank you again for taking the time to read this! I know it's not the most realistic or accurate to their characters, but it was fun nonetheless.  
> Thanks again for the support, and for reading my first multi-chapter fic on here!

_Clearly it isn’t okay. Did you not see what happened?_  
_Besides, don’t you have a party to be at? Or shouldn’t you be on your way home?  
Why bother coming after me?_

“I’m… here to apologize on behalf of the others…I think that they’re too dumb to recognize the concept of personal space sometimes, and they took it too far,” The voice continued, sounding regretful in nature.

_Yeah, well I also took it too far. Thanks for reminding me._

She didn’t want to face her again – at least not after everything that had happened. It had been absolutely humiliating, and she had resorted to herself to a spectacle of Misaki’s attention. She wished she could just run, but knew that the other girl would just run after her in pity.

Misaki’s pity was the last thing that Arisa needed.

She inhaled deeply and turned around to find Misaki standing sheepishly.

“It’s fine. You don’t have to apologize. This is just how I am – ask anyone in Poppin’ Party: I’m just the amusing girl with a short temper who has outbursts nearly all of the time. It’s normal,” Arisa replied, keeping her tone firm. She felt a lump in her throat, an indicator of her tears desperately wanting to spill out. But she had already lost so much of her dignity, and decided to pretend it wasn’t there.

“I meant it when I said I wasn’t judging you…” Misaki clarified, her tone softening.

_I know. You’re not judging me – you just pity me. And truthfully, I think that’s worse._

Arisa hated feeling so weak. She continued to keep her composure, as she maintained her eye contact with Misaki, refusing to falter her neutral expression.

“You know, I don’t know if you caught on earlier today, but Kasumi like, _could not_ stop talking about you. She really wanted the others to know how funny you were!” Misaki pointed out, causing Arisa to roll her eyes.

“Don’t talk to me about Kasumi – she’s my best friend, yeah, but I swear I don’t understand that girl sometimes…” Arisa muttered, feeling annoyed at the mention of her. Misaki chuckled in response.

“Yeah, yeah. I get it. I love my band, but the majority of them really are a bunch of idiots…” Misaki added on. She quickly gasped as a follow up, her expression changing instantly.

“Wait, Arisa! Don’t tell them I said that!”

_Hm?_

It was now Misaki’s turn to look completely flustered and out of place, fearing that she had said too much. Arisa raised an eyebrow.

“…tell them what? That they’re a bunch of idiots? I mean, as you already saw, I could do it for you…”

Not that Arisa particularly wanted to, but it wasn’t a difficult task.

Misaki did not hesitate to respond, in an attempt to recover from her brief moment of visible vulnerability.

“Oh, no. You’ve got it all wrong. I’ve made it very clear to them that they’re idiots,” She exclaimed, yet continued to look bothered by something. Arisa, now realizing that she held the upper hand, crossed her arms.

_She’s hiding something. I know it!_

“I…I don’t know why…” Misaki started, as if suddenly not able to string her sentences together properly. She cleared her throat.

“I feel shy about telling people that I care for them…”

Arisa stepped back, shocked by her response.

_She really does get it._

Arisa thought about all of the times she wanted to thank Poppin’ Party for being her friends. She thought about how every time she tried to, she could only manage to sputter out a mean-sounding “you all are idiots!” in a quick-witted response. Her sarcasm and witty nature often became a mode of defense – a way of protecting herself from caring too much, or being too vulnerable. When she had her outbursts, they were often the result of pent-up feelings and things she felt that she couldn’t say out loud when she needed to.

“Guess it’s hard to upright tell people that you love them, huh,” Arisa noted nonchalantly, acting as if it was a concept she was unfamiliar with herself. Misaki narrowed her gaze.

“Hey now, don’t play dumb! I know you do the same thing.”

“Excuse me? _Do not_!” Arisa yelled, defending herself.

_Again with the assumptions! The mind reading! I mean, seriously! How does she do that?_

Before she knew it, she found herself in the middle of a banter.

“Do too!”  
“Do not!”

“Uh huh,” The dark-haired girl responded, raising an eyebrow and crossing her arms.

 _This girl, I swear to_ **_god_ ** _._

“Quit it with the sarcasm! You don’t know a _thing_ about me!” Arisa countered, instantly stepping back.

In a split second, the dark haired girl’s expression changed.

_Hah._

Misaki seemed to look defeated, putting her hands up in defense.

“You’re right,” she agreed, sighing.

 _Of course I am_.

“I don’t know really know you...but…”

The other girl trailed off, her mouth moving as if wanting to say something, but holding back. She turned away.

“…Nevermind. It’s uh…nothing…” She started, turning her head slightly away. Arisa immediately became frustrated. They were almost _too_ similar.

_Clearly she’s trying to say something! She’s holding back! After spending so much time lecturing me about it…it’s like we’re one and the same._

“Misaki, is it just me or are you itching to say something?” Arisa asked, mocking the other girl’s tone of voice from earlier in the day. Misaki, not missing a beat, immediately whipped her head around. She smirked.

“Huh? W-what do you mean? I wouldn’t dream of doing that…” She responded, sarcasm dripping as a clear indicator of her teasing from earlier. However, Arisa noticed she was still blushing, and obviously, avoiding the question.

Arisa narrowed her eyes.

 _Aha! She took the bait!  
_ _I won’t let her win this._

“Just give into the dark side, Okusawa-san~” Arisa taunted, making sure the other knew exactly how she had felt earlier. The dark-haired girl turned away, clearly embarrassed by the exchange.

“F-fine,” Misaki mumbled, still turned away. Arisa merely sat and observed, crossing her arms.

“I don’t really know you, sure. But I want to get to know you. Okay? I said it. Leave me be,”

Arisa snorted.

 _You said that earlier.  
_ _You’re still holding something back._

“Okay~” She sing-songed, keeping her voice as nonchalant as possible.

Little did Arisa know that one single word would set her up for the unexpected.

“You…ugh…whatever! I can’t take this!”

_…Huh?_

“Okay, _Arisa._ This whole time? I haven’t been approaching you just to be polite. I didn’t come out here to pity you, or to make you feel bad. I meant _none_ of that. And…I’m sorry if it came across that way,” The dark-haired girl started, her voice trailing off at the last bit.

“Listen. You already know this isn’t easy for me to say but…umm….I think I ha-have f-feelings for you? I know we just met and they can’t mean much but...I-I don’t know. Something’s there... I guess. Okay? I said it. I know you don’t…share them back. I know that…uhh… you probably think I’m nothing special…nothing but a nuisance but…it had to be said.”

_...What?_

Arisa Ichigaya couldn’t believe what was happening in front of her.

 _She…shared those feelings?_  
_About me?  
Even…after seeing me at my worst?_

Arisa was too stunned to respond.

She kept thinking about the time spent at the party, freaking out over every single move she made. Every word she said, all in the hopes that this beautiful girl wouldn’t see the mess that she was. And here she was, in front of her, confessing to her? After all that had happened?

It didn’t feel real.

Nothing special?

Did she not understand just how… cool she was?  Keeping her composure amongst a bunch of screaming idiots? Acting like a smooth motherfucker, constantly making Arisa feel inferior at every opportunity she got?

And what was she going on about her being a nuisance?

She was the first person she felt like understood her. She participated in a banter and shared her thoughts the way no one else would. They shared a connection that Arisa hadn’t felt with anyone else before…

It suddenly clicked.

_“Guess it’s hard to upright tell people that you love them, huh,”_

When did that turn into pushing everyone she cared about away? When did it turn into a sort of defense mechanism?  And why was it always _so hard_ for her to accept herself as she was, and express herself honestly?

Arisa realized she had nothing to gain out of hiding herself.

She started to open her mouth, hoping to yell back “hey! You’re wrong about everything! I like you too!” only that the words wouldn’t come out. Her throat felt tight with guilt, but found it nearly impossible to speak up, no matter how hard she tried.

“Listen, you don’t have to say anything. It’s okay, really. I gotta get going…I’m sorry for bothering you,” the dark haired girl started off, her face flushed with embarrassment. She turned away and started walking in the opposite direction.

 _What?_  
_No!_  
_You can’t go!  
You can’t leave me like this!_

“Wait!”

The other girl stopped in her tracks, alarmed by the sudden yell. She stood hesitantly, eyes wide with anticipation, lips parted in an “O” shape.

_She’s so beautiful and she doesn’t even recognize it!_

And suddenly, like a switch being turned off, her thoughts were no longer holding her back. She stepped forward, her heart rate increasing as they stood closer to each other.

 _Why can’t I just say the words?  
_ _They’re so simple…yet…_

“Misaki…you’re…”

Arisa could’ve said “beautiful”. She could’ve said “charming”. Anything and everything nice under the sun.

“…the worst.”

 _Damn it! What’s wrong with me?  
_ _Ugh! Forget it, I’m useless!_

The other girl merely blinked back, her eyebrows furrowing.

_I have to fix this!_

Arisa Ichigaya suddenly knew what she needed to do. It was risky, sure, but just like everything else that happened…she had to get it out of her system. Be true to herself. Be _honest_ with herself.

She really hoped that this decision wouldn’t be one she’d later regret.

Without thinking further, she closed her eyes and planted her lips on the other. She almost immediately pulled back after shortly realizing the damage done.

 _What did I..?_  
_Oh my god! I didn’t even ask for her consent!_  
_I mean…it was a closed-mouth kiss. She would’ve been okay with that...right?_  
_AAAAAAAAA!!!!  
She probably thinks I’m such a weirdo! Why did I do that???_

Arisa didn’t dare to open her eyes. Leave it to her, the absolute _disaster_ lesbian who picks up everything she knows about romance from manga, to be a complete idiot.

 _God, what am I going to_ **_d o_ ** _?_

She wasn’t sure whether to feel relieved or more unnerved by the fact that the other girl started chuckling in response.

“‘The worst’. Yeah, because you totally go and kiss someone you hate.”  
“Shut up!” Arisa yelled, refusing to open her eyes. She sighed and eventually gave in once the other’s laughter subsided, surprised to see a smiling face. Still, she felt she had to once again, fix the mess she created.

“I-I’m sorry about that. I-I d-didn’t even ask…” She stammered, twiddling with her thumbs. Misaki shrugged in response.

“Eh, don’t worry about it. To be quite honest? This is nothing compared to Kokoro’s adventures.”

 _...Bingo_.

For the first time that day, Arisa knew exactly what to do next.

“If you don’t mind...I’d actually like to hear more about those. And about you,” Arisa stated cooly, inciting an eyebrow raise from the other.  
“This friday. Over dinner,” she clarified. Misaki raised an eyebrow in response.

“Dinner…?” The other responded, not exactly seeing what she was getting at.

 _...Do I have to be explicit about it?  
_ _Oh, come on!_

“Uh...I was hoping I could...ask you out on a date...” Arisa muttered, her face growing hot with each word. Misaki grinned in response.

“A date, huh?”  
“Yes.” She responded immediately before darting her eyes to the ground, still flushed by the nature of the situation. She looked up again, to find the other nodding her head.

“…Is that a yes?” Arisa asked again to confirm, her attitude calmer this time.

“Yeah. Let’s have dinner together~”

 _...Wait._  
_She said yes?  
_

Arisa had to refrain from pinching at her cheeks to confirm that she wasn’t just dreaming.

 _I kissed a girl. And then proceeded to ask her out. On the same day that I lost my cool and just went bonkers on everyone.  
_ _…Is this really happening? When did I start living in a manga?_

“I…uh....I guess I’ll see you then?” Arisa asked. Misaki raised an eyebrow in response.

_What now??? Haven’t I embarrassed myself enough?_

“I think you’re forgetting something, no?”  
“...What do you mean?”

“You’ll need to contact me, right?~” The dark-haired girl replied, reaching into her sweatshirt pocket for her phone. Arisa felt the immediate need to bang her head into a wall.

_I’m officially a dumbass._

“O-oh yeah! Sure!” Arisa responded, as she shuffled through her own bag. The two swiftly made the cell phone exchange before heading off on their separate ways.

“Keep in touch before then, ‘kay?” Misaki asked, her tone cheerful. Arisa nodded.

“Y-yeah! Sure!” She yelled back in response, trying to keep her tone from being shaky with nerves. The two waved to each other before heading their separate ways.

Arisa exhaled. Her brain was going in circles, still trying to comprehend everything that happened.

She had to admit…she was kind of proud of herself that she worked up the courage to ask her out. And for her to say yes! That…was never a scenario Arisa imagined happening. Like, ever. Maybe in her wildest dreams but. Nothing beyond that.

Finally, she’d be able to go home-

“ _LET’S GOOOOOO LESBIANS!”_

As the familiar voice rang behind her, Arisa didn’t even need to turn around to know it was Kasumi.

“Were you there this entire time??? I mean, how _dare you_ invade my privacy like that?” Arisa questioned, feeling her temper boil.

“WE GOT ARISA A GIRLFRIENDDDDD~” Her friend sing-songed from behind.

“SHUT UP!” Arisa yelled back, though secretly she didn’t mind Kasumi’s teasing. She started on her way home, waiting for the others to run and catch up with her.

 _Ah, this is more like it_.

The mental image that Arisa had painted in her mind earlier returned to her focus again. The rain had stopped, and the potted plant’s leaves began to rise. From behind her, she could hear an array of welcoming, warm voices. She turned around to find the other members of Poppin’ Party waving, their smiles bright and encouraging. In this fantasy, she began to move towards them, feeling herself beam as another hand interlaced with hers.

 _I’m not alone._  
_I deserve my friends, and I deserve a date with a girl I like.  
I’m going to be okay._

Arisa Ichigaya knew that if she had the chance to turn the clock back and change what had happened, she wouldn’t. Because she was okay with how things turned out, albeit in a crazy and wild roundabout sort of way.

She could not begin to describe the feelings of relief knowing that even the most exhausted and wilted sakura could bloom again.


End file.
